It is with great sorrow that Sarah, Alessandra, and Gabriel Petlin announce that on Sept. 1, 2018, Irving Petlin, artist and activist, died at his beloved summer home on Martha’s Vineyard,at the age of 83. He spent his final days with us, at home and at peace. He leaves behind a fiercely visionary and singular body of work. We will miss him forever. Burial Sunday, Sept. 16, at 1 pm, Abel’s Hill Cemetery, Chilmark.
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A memorial will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15, in Vineyard Haven to mark a year since Cathy Janson, an artist and seasonal resident of Martha’s Vineyard, died following a heart attack while at her home in Tisbury on Sept. 17, 2017. Cathy was 67 years old.
Cathy, known to many friends as “Cat,” was an active and vibrant presence on the Island. For three decades, Cathy and her husband Francis Janson of Yardley, Pa., lived part of the year on the Vineyard.
Born in Philadelphia, Cathy first came to the Island as a young mother of three children in the 1980s to visit friends. Cathy immediately felt at home here, and set out to return as often as possible. For many years Cathy and Francis docked their boat, the Fishing Well, in Menemsha during the summer.
Bubbling with energy and optimistic to her core, Cathy was constantly improving her mind and body, and found the Vineyard fertile ground for expanding her world and creating community. On the Vineyard Cathy began rowing, played ukulele with an ensemble, advanced her painting skills, learned how to tap-dance, gleaned on Vineyard farms, and volunteered at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse. Cathy loved running the Chilmark Road Race.
In addition to Francis, Cathy is survived by her three children, their spouses and her five grandchildren, Michael and Anna Janson of Silver Spring, Md., and their children Isaac, Samuel, and Miriam; Merritt Janson and Benjamin Wertheimer of Brooklyn, and their children Sebastian and Margot; and Patrick Janson of Manhattan. Cathy is also survived by her mother, Helene Selig, of Philadelphia; her father, Bob Mosk, of Glenside, Pa.; and her sister, Barbara Houten, of Philadelphia.
In Cathy’s honor, her family will host a memorial to dedicate a new trail kiosk in Brightwood Park, a nature sanctuary near her home in Tisbury. The kiosk was made possible by donations to the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation given in Cathy’s honor. Cathy regularly walked through these woods, along the Lagoon from her house to Vineyard Haven, and the path was etched in her heart, as was the Island.
The memorial will be held at 11:30 am on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Brightwood Park trailhead. For further details regarding the memorial event, please call 215-757-0005.
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Kirsten Elsebeth Pinto, 92, died on Sept. 5, 2018, at her daughter’s home in Oak Bluffs.
She was predeceased by her husband, Anthony F. Pinto.
A memorial service will be held at a later date, to be announced.
Donations in her memory may be made to Meals on Wheels, Elder Services, 68 Route 134, South Dennis, MA 02660. A complete obituary will be appear in a future edition of this paper.
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Jon E. Newman, 68, died on Sept. 5, 2018, at his home in Oak Bluffs.
He was married to Nancy K. (Stibolt) Newman.
His funeral service will be held at a later date, to be announced, and a complete obituary will appear at that time.
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Arlene R. Baril died Monday, July 16, 2018, at the Windemere Nursing Center.
Arlene was born on June 20, 1935, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs. She grew up in Edgartown, and was a member of the Edgartown Methodist Church and joined all activities there. She attended the Edgartown School from grade 1 through 12, and graduated with honors, being the valedictorian of her class in 1953. From high school, she was accepted to Framingham State Teachers College, graduating from there in June 1957, ranking high in her class.
After graduation, she headed to California to teach for one year, returning East to accept a teaching position in White Plains, N.Y. She taught in White Plains for two years, and then came back to New England, where she was employed by Allyn and Bacon in Boston as editor of elementary school textbooks.
Arlene, more than anything, loved Martha’s Vineyard, and at any chance she would make it home to visit her parents, Cyrus S. and Nettie D. Norton of Edgartown. She would take a swim in the ocean and ride her bike all over the Island. One summer’s day in August 1958, while walking on South Beach with her sister, Norma, a very nice-looking man stopped to ask them about Martha’s Vineyard. He had just flown his plane into the Edgartown airport. That conversation went on for 56 years, and many plane rides. Arlene married Donald J. Baril in September 1962 in Needham. They made their home in Franklin until after the death of their son, Gary, in November 1987. Arlene and Don moved from Franklin back to Arlene’s beloved Martha’s Vineyard. She and Don could be seen walking the streets of Edgartown or riding their bikes.
Arlene’s husband, Donald J. Baril, predeceased her in February of this year. She leaves one sister, Norma E. Rodgers, and a brother-in-law, A. Edson Rodgers, of Edgartown. She also leaves three nieces and three nephews: Cheryl Cooper of Warren, R.I., Wendy Hales of Willow Spring, N.C., Stacey O’Donnell of Fort Washington, Md., Mark Edson Rodgers of Chesapeake, Va., and Paul and Allen Baril of Waltham, their spouses and children.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22, at Oak Bluffs Trinity Methodist Church, Oak Bluffs Campground, at 11 am.
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Join us for a gathering in memory of Vera Pratt on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 4 to 6pm, at the Chilmark Community Center. This is hosted by the Pratt and Lash families. Refreshments will be served.
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Mabelle Adele (Giddings) Thompson, 91, died peacefully on Sept. 7, 2018, at her home in Oak Bluffs.
Mabelle Adele Thompson, the youngest of five children born to Mabelle and Arthur Giddings, grew up in Yonkers, N.Y., with her siblings Arthur, Curtis, Elizabeth, and George. Following graduation from Gorton High School, she commuted daily to Barnard College in New York City, as black students were not allowed to reside on the Barnard campus. After graduating in 1949 with a liberal arts degree and a major in chemistry, she began her career in research as a laboratory technician in the department of nephrology at the New York University–Bellevue Medical Center. While there she worked under Homer Smith, the most well-known pioneer in renal physiology.
Subsequently, Mabelle undertook research to develop new antibiotic treatments for rheumatic fever at Abbot House, in Irvington, N.Y., which was then a convalescent children’s hospital. She left that facility upon being invited to establish the first on-site blood and other chemical analyses laboratory in the Yonkers General Hospital.
In 1950, Mabelle married Samuel Thompson, a sales executive. In 1957 the couple settled in Greenburgh, N.Y., where they eventually filled their home with four boisterous sons, Peter, Gordon, David, and Mark.
Mabelle developed a passionate interest in childhood education, and after seven years as a stay-at-home-mom, enrolled in a collaborative experimental continuing education master’s degree program developed by Sarah Lawrence College and New York University. She received a master’s degree in education in 1967. That fall she began her teaching career in the progressive Greenburgh Central School District No. 7.
In the early 1970s, the district, which paired two racially imbalanced school systems in Greenburgh and Hartsdale, provided a fertile environment for staff and community seeking equal opportunities for students. Mabelle became the elementary science and math coordinator, and then elementary computer coordinator in the district, which was cited in a major case study for its effective desegregation policies and practices that resulted in racial, economic, religious, and ethnic diversity.
Over time, Mabelle and her family developed a love for Martha’s Vineyard. She was known to pile everyone into the car heading north on the last day of school, and not return to Greenburgh until the absolute last minute on the day before school started in the fall. While on the Island, Mabelle played tennis, fished, swam, went clamming, played bridge, and developed many enduring friendships.
Following 24 years of service, Mabelle retired from teaching, and she and Sam moved to Martha’s Vineyard, where they continued to share many interests. She became well-known for her culinary skills, and was always happy to host family and friends.
Mabelle’s husband, Sam, her son, Mark, and her grandson, Austin, predeceased her. She is survived by her sons and their wives, Peter (Deidra), Gordon (Christina), and David (Tracy). Also mourning her loss are her grandchildren, Nicole, Vanessa, Ashley, Cameron, Spencer, Sydney, Christian, and Chase; her great-grandson James; her “honorary daughter” Michelle Clements; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Her graveside service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 12:30 pm in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineyard Avenue in Oak Bluffs, officiated by the Rev. Deborah Warner.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Mabelle Thompson and Millie R. Clements Scholarship at Northeastern University; attention of: Patricia A. Flint, Northeastern University 402 CP, 716 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02120; 617-373-7356; p.flint@northeastern.edu.
This scholarship was established in 2017 by Gordon O. and Christina Clements Thompson, and honors the memory of two extraordinary women who were an inspiration to their children and to all those they touched throughout their lives. Pioneers and accomplished each in their own right, Mabelle and Millie valued the importance of an education, commitment to community, and above all, dedication to their family and friends. Mabelle Thompson and Millie R. Clements were incredible role models and this scholarship, in their memory, will continue their legacy for generations to come.
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Edward F. Wessel of Vineyard Haven died peacefully on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018, at home, following four months of hospice under the care of his loving daughter Natalie.
Ed was born in the Bronx, N.Y., and raised in Teaneck, N.J. He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in biological sciences. He served as a lieutenant on a U.S. Navy destroyer, making three tours to Vietnam in the 1960s. He lived in New Jersey and raised a family of two daughters, Natalie Lozano and Rachel Gardiner.
He worked as an operations head at Citibank and Fuji Bank in Manhattan. For six years he was international operations director of a Citibank subsidiary and traveled extensively, his favorite job. He was a senior project manager with Brooks International and Anderson Consulting. Projects included several large commercial bank mergers and investment-fund accounting system projects.
His dad took him fishing starting at age 4, and initiated his love for the sport. In 1997 he bought his Vineyard home and engaged in island life. Fishing with a best friend in various Derbies was especially valued.
Ed enjoyed cooking and all “foodie” activities such as keeping a kitchen garden, mastering challenging recipes, acquiring interesting cookware, and traveling with a list of restaurants to visit and dishes to try. He loved dinners and conversations with family and friends, as well as membership in social groups such as Mensa, the Triple Nine Society, Ramapo Mountain Ski Club, and the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association.
Ed is survived by daughter Natalie Lozano and her husband Eric, of Portland, Ore.; daughter Rachel Gardiner, her husband Adam, and their three children, Sid, Sylvia, and Vada-Mae, of Valdosta, Ga.; sister Joanne Neuner and her husband Bob; nephew Ken Anderson and niece Barbara Hastie; and extended family.
A celebration of Ed’s life will be held in spring 2019; the date will be announced.
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Mrs. Adrienne Maddox Hayling (affectionately known as “Mom”), 88, of Trenton, N.J., died on Sept. 13, 2018.
Born and educated in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Hayling graduated from the renowned Dunbar High School before attending the District of Columbia Teachers College and Howard University.
She participated in numerous civic organizations throughout the years, including the Heart Association, Mercer County Park Commission, Human Relations Council, Greater Trenton Symphony Association Board, Friends of the New Jersey State Museum, New Jersey State Library Board, New Jersey Supreme Court District V Ethics Committee, Old Barracks Association Board, Tren-MOSC Board, Greater Mercer County Chamber of Commerce Board, Trenton Board of Education, president of Trustees of the Trenton Free Public Library, the Board of Helene Fuld Medical Center (chairman). Mrs. Hayling was the first chairman of the board of the Capital Health System, and the first black woman to be the chairman of the board of a hospital system in the entire country.
She was involved in several social clubs, which include the Links, Inc., and several bridge clubs.
Mrs. Hayling has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Trenton Alumnae Chapter’s Humanitarian Award, Links, Inc.’s 50-Year Platinum Award (recognizing her “distinguished service and continuing contributions to improving the quality of life”), Mercer County Chamber of Commerce’s Ask a Busy Person Award, NAACP’s Community Service Award, and YWCA of Trenton’s Meta Griffith Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.
She was a woman of many talents who loved to entertain her family and friends over many decades with delightful gatherings at her homes in Trenton and on Martha’s Vineyard. She taught countless numbers of people, from all walks of life, the value of self-discipline, a confident, positive attitude, a basic plan, and a warm and genuine smile. She was respected and loved.
Daughter of William Robert Maddox and Elsie Thompson Maddox, Mrs. Hayling was married to the late Dr. Leslie A. Hayling Sr. for 65 years, and has one son, Dr. Leslie A. Hayling Jr., and a host of loving nieces, nephews, family members, and close friends.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Howard University College of Dentistry Foundation, 192 West State St., Trenton, NJ 08608.
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Surrounded by the love of his children, Charles Berchman Parker, 92, died at home on Sunday morning, Sept. 16, 2018.
Charles was born on Feb. 21, 1926, to Margaret (Hopkins) Parker and Godfrey Joseph Leo Parker, and raised in New Britain, Conn. Charles graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pa., and proudly served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army during WWII.
Charlie worked in the transportation industry for many years before moving from Agawam to Vineyard Haven, where he was a self-employed carpenter and painter for many East Chop residents, and became the property manager for Havenside Apartments. He married Barbara Polleys in 1998, and together they enjoyed over 17 years of marriage. Charlie considered himself an expert on marriage, and often offered others advice! He loved Island living, traveling, and especially time with his family and many great friends. He was an active member of the American Legion, VFW, and the Portuguese-American Club. He truly appreciated all who made it possible for him to live a full life in his own home.
Married for 50 years to the late Margarette Lillian Stuart, he leaves their two children, Laura Peritz Young (Enfield, Conn.) and Charles B. Parker Jr. and wife Janet (Surprise, Ariz.). Charlie also leaves his treasured grandchildren, Michelle Frew and Paul Parker of Surprise, Ariz., Kimberly LaPlante (Ludlow), and Kevin Peritz (Enfield, Conn.), who have many fond memories of time with their grandparents. He is also survived by his eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister Helen and brothers Godfrey and Wilford.
His family will receive friends on Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 2 to 4 pm with a funeral home service at 4 pm at the Agawam Funeral Home, 184 Main St., Agawam. Burial with military honors will be held privately.
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Dana Scot Sumner died unexpectedly on Sept. 13, 2018, in Clearwater, Fla.
He was born in Glens Falls, N.Y., on June 23, 1967, the son of Ernest and Sheilah Sumner.
Dana spent significant periods of his life residing in South Glens Falls, N.Y.; Martha’s Vineyard, and Cape Cod, only just this past year moving to Florida.
He will be remembered as a man who could always make you laugh. He loved music, lighthouses, fishing, taking risks, and had just begun taking kitesurfing lessons. He always found peace at the beach.
Dana spent the first half of his life passionately working as a land surveyor and AutoCAD designer. After his own struggles with addiction, Dana spent the second half of his life receiving his CADC, and working as a drug and alcohol addictions counselor. Through his work and experience, he significantly impacted the lives of many.
Dana was predeceased by his father, Ernest Sumner, and his paternal and maternal grandparents. He is survived by his mother, Sheilah Hughes, his sister Tania (Peter) Tucker, his children Eric (Katherine) Sumner, Kyle Sumner, Christina (Trevor) Vermette, and Aurora Sumner, his nephew Joshua Janke, and the mothers of his children, Nicole Sumner and Maryann Halstead, along with aunts, uncles, and cousins.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
Should friends desire, memorial donations in Dana’s name may be made to the Associated Recovery Communities, 1270 Rogers St., Clearwater, FL 33756.
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Michael Minkiewicz, 85, of West Tisbury, beloved husband of Catherine, father of Christi and Andrew and his wife Kate, and “Poppi” to Annie, Sophie, Mikey, and Mary Clare, died in the early hours of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018, at Falmouth Hospital. His death followed a difficult year recovering from knee surgery, which flared up his Parkinson’s.
A fuller obituary will follow, as well as a memorial celebration later in the year. In lieu of flowers, please direct your generosity to the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust.
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Updated Sept. 19, 4p
Edward J. Jerome, 71, of Edgartown died on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Ed was married to Maryanne L. (Langley) Jerome, and was the father of Nick Jerome. He was predeceased by his son, Joseph E. Jerome, in Sepember 2013.
His visiting hours will be held in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs on Friday, Sept. 21, from 4 pm to 7 pm.
His funeral service will be celebrated in St. Elizabeth Church, Main Street, Edgartown, on Saturday., Sept. 22, at 11 am, officiated by the Rev. Michael Nagle, and burial will follow in the New Westside Cemetery, Robinson Road, Edgartown.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Joseph Jerome Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 2232, or to the MV Derby Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 2101, both in Edgartown, MA 02539.
A complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper.
Updated with change of venue for funeral. –Ed.
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Henrietta L. Gallagher died just three weeks shy of her 99th year, on August 25, 2018.
Henrietta was born Sept. 16, 1919, in Providence, R.I. She had quite a career. After completing her high school education at St. Francis Xavier Academy in Providence, in 1939 Henrietta received her bachelor’s degree in education from Rhode Island College, and began teaching in Providence.
From April 1943 to February 1946, Henrietta was enlisted in active service in the U.S. Navy. After a year, she was ranked lieutenant, and soon reported to Montgomery, Ala., for duty in connection with procurement of main engine spares for ACM vessels. She also served as a Navy supply officer at Pearl Harbor.
From 1944 to 1955, Henrietta was a member of the prestigious Navy WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, a high-status service of the time. She also served in the Navy Reserves until 1955.
In 1946, Henrietta enrolled in Harvard University in Cambridge, where she received her master’s degree in education.
Soon after she began a 34-year career position with E.T.S., Educational Testing Service, in Princeton, N.J. In 1958, she was head of the Research Services Group, and was awarded with more footnotes than any other member of E.T.S. staff.
It was not all work and no play, however; Henrietta had a love for the Islands, vacationing many years on the island of Saba in the Caribbean with dear friends.
Henrietta lived on Martha’s Vineyard for 35 years, both in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven, with the past five years spent at Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation. Enjoying her retirement on this Island she called home, she had many interests — her dedication to COMSOG, the Community Solar Greenhouse in Oak Bluffs, gardening, and daily walks around West Chop smelling the salt air brought joy to her every day.
Henrietta leaves behind her dear friend and caregiver Lisa Mathieu of Oak Bluffs; and two nieces and a nephew, Clare and Paul Holland of Nevada and Cathy Holland of New York.
Memorial donations in Henrietta’s name may be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven MA 02568.
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Stefan Bernard Herbert Baumrin, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, philosopher, attorney, and businessman, died Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 19, 2018.
The son of David and Regina Baumrin, Stefan was raised with his brother, Leonard, in the Bronx. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1952, and from Ohio State University in 1956. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University in 1960, and received his J.D. degree from Columbia University in 1970, after which he became a member of the New York State Bar.
He was an assistant professor of philosophy, and chairman of the Delaware Seminar in the Philosophy of Science at University of Delaware, from 1961 until 1964, and was an assistant professor of philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis from 1964 until 1967. In 1967, he became a professor at Lehman College, and in 1973 he became a professor at the City University of New York Graduate School. In 1988, he became a professor of medical ethics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He continued teaching courses in philosophy at CUNY Graduate Center and Mount Sinai until this past May.
He will be missed by the many students, professors, friends, and family members who enjoyed the gift of his generosity, vitality, intellect, love of art and literature, and true friendship. A memorial service was held at Riverside Funeral Home on Sunday, Sept. 23. A graveside service is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 1 pm at the West Tisbury Cemetery in West Tisbury, on the Island he loved dearly.
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From 3 to 5 pm, Sunday, Oct. 7, there will be a gathering at the Sailing Camp on Barnes Road, Oak Bluffs, to honor David Danielson and his commitment to the Island. There will be an opportunity to share stories about him. Bring a finger food to share if so inclined. All are welcome.
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Robert (Bob) Franklin died on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, at his home in Vineyard Haven at the age of 92.
Bob was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 6, 1926, to Theodore and Rose Franklin (née Levis). He moved to Los Angeles in 1936, where he completed high school before joining the Navy in 1944. He served aboard the USS Helena in the Pacific Theater as a radar and communications technician until the end of World War II.
After the war, Bob attended UCLA, followed by BU Medical School. In Boston he met and married Helen Grace Carlson in 1951. He interned in pediatrics at Boston City Hospital and at the University of Illinois (Chicago). He returned to the Boston area in 1954, setting up a pediatrics practice in Westwood, where he lived and worked until his semi-retirement in 1999. During that time Bob was active in community affairs, served as chief of staff at the Norwood Hospital, and trained new physicians as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at his alma mater.
In 1999, Bob and Grace moved to Martha’s Vineyard, where the family had vacationed for many years. There Bob continued his practice of pediatrics on a part-time basis, also serving on the town of Tisbury’s board of health and finance committee for several years, until finally retiring in 2014 at the age of 88.
Bob traveled extensively during his life, within the U.S. and Europe, Russia, and China, with his wife Grace, who died in 2006, and later with Jacquie. He enjoyed tennis, golf, sailing, and classical music, especially by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He also was an avid bridge player.
He is survived by his dear friend, Jacqueline (Jacquie) Renear; daughter Martha Braunstein; son Jeffrey Franklin; grandchildren Eric Braunstein (wife Lauren Braunstein), and Laura Braunstein-Freiberg (husband Scott Freiberg) and their daughters, his great-grandchildren, Farrah and Bianca Freiberg.
Bob was loved by his family, friends, and patients, and respected by his colleagues. He will be missed by all. Plans for a memorial service will be announced.
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John Anthony Nevin, known to friends as Tony, died on Sept, 23, 2018, at the age of 85, of pancreatic cancer.
Long before he set foot on Martha’s Vineyard, Tony was intimately familiar with the surrounding waters. Having served for two years as navigator on the Spar, a Coast Guard buoy tender based in Bristol, R.I., he knew the exact locations of the buoys from Block Island to the Cape Cod Canal to Nantucket Outer Shoal, and he fell in love with the region and its weather, both fair and foul. Some 20 years later, he was introduced to the Vineyard’s shoreside by his wife, Nora Nevin, who had vacationed here since her childhood, and he fell in love all over again. Together they bought a parcel in West Tisbury and built a simple summer house, and when they retired from academic life in 1995, the Vineyard became their year-round home.
Tony continued his acquaintance with Vineyard waters in his 35-foot wooden ketch Anoa. To his chagrin, that acquaintance included an encounter with Shipyard Rock off West Chop, before it had been marked and renamed. Over the years, he extended his knowledge of New England waters to the Maine coast, and on to Nova Scotia in a single-handed voyage. His longest and most memorable voyage was with the late Jamie Weisman of Vineyard Haven and his (now) wife Laura, helping to bring the schooner Perception from New Zealand to Panama. Recently, he downsized to a 27-foot fiberglass sloop for day sailing and occasional overnights, but he retained his passion for navigating Vineyard waters under sail until his death.
On shore, Tony served on the boards of several island nonprofits and the Land Bank Commission. Together with Tucker Hubbell, Tony and Nora founded Good House Associates, Inc., and built four affordable homes between 2002 and 2005. Later, he worked with the West Tisbury Community Preservation Committee to support a variety of projects, including affordable housing.
After serving in the buoy tender Spar, he went on to serve as commanding officer of a 95-foot patrol boat in Chesapeake Bay and of an isolated loran station at Cape Atholl, Greenland. During his time in Greenland, miscellaneous readings led him to develop an interest in experimental psychology. After completing graduate studies at Columbia University, Tony held faculty positions at Swarthmore College, Columbia University, and the University of New Hampshire. In his research, he developed the concept of behavioral momentum — the tendency for ongoing, repeated action to persist in the face of disruptions or challenges — and showed that persistence depends on rewards for that action, in much the same way as the persistence of the motion of a physical object depends on its inertial mass. In 1983, he demonstrated that Newton’s second law can provide a quantitative account of the persistence of pigeons’ pecking at lighted keys for food rewards. Subsequently, other researchers have shown that the behavior of goldfish, humans, and rats follows the same principles, with various rewards including alcohol and cocaine. With colleagues in New Zealand and Utah, Tony went on to show that the quantitative principles of behavioral momentum could be extended to explain cognitive activities such as attention and short-term memory.
Beginning in 2011, he and colleagues at several universities applied the principles of behavioral momentum to the treatment of problem behavior such as aggression or self-injury in children with autism or other developmental disabilities. The goal of the project, supported by a five-year research grant from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, is to make the beneficial effects of treatment persist as long as possible — ideally, for life — after therapy ends. Arguably, this postretirement persistence of Tony’s research exemplifies his own work on the momentum of generously rewarded behavior.
In his scholarly writing, Tony also tried to address issues of war, peace, and human wellbeing from the perspective of his behavioral research. One article demonstrated that the principles of behavioral momentum could be used to explain the tendency for nations to initiate wars during the years from 1495 to 1995; another used related ideas to analyze the persistence of terror campaigns before 9/11. He also considered the persistence of fossil fuel consumption as a consequence of the richly rewarded economic behavior of corporations and nations, and suggested that a sustainable future for humankind could best be achieved by relatively small-scale local action.
Tony was born in Manhattan in 1933. His parents, Walter S. Nevin and Emy H. Nevin, moved to Port Washington, Long Island, where he learned to sail at the age of 10. He attended Choate School and Yale University, class of 1954, where he majored in mechanical engineering with emphasis on naval architecture and marine engineering. After his Coast Guard tour, he married Jane Hanne, with whom he had five children. The marriage ended in divorce, and he and Nora were married in 1977. He is survived by the children from his first marriage: Martha Cyr of Charlton; Sara Nevin of Oakland, Calif.; Scott Nevin of Greer, S.C.; Barbara Nevin of Philadelphia, Pa.; and Mark Nevin of Belchertown; two stepsons, Nicholas and Hardy Ophuls; four grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren.
He has asked that some of his ashes be scattered in Vineyard Sound near Lighted Bell Buoy No. 2, off West Chop, on an ebbing tide.
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Daniel S. Gouldrup, 59, West Tisbury police officer, died unexpectedly on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, at his home in West Tisbury.
He was the husband of Stacey L. (Macomber) Gouldrup, father of Colby and Meaghan Gouldrup, and brother of Debbie Look.
A celebration of Dan’s life will be held at the Grange Hall, State Road, in West Tisbury with a potluck dinner on Saturday., Sept. 29, from 2 pm to 6 pm. Please bring a dish to share, and wear bright colors.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Youth Hockey Program, P.O. Box 2319, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. A complete obituary will follow at a later date.
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Ed Jerome, former Edgartown School principal and longtime Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby president, died on Sept. 18, 2018, after a beautiful morning spent with friends at the Derby headquarters and quahoging off the shores of Sengekontacket Pond. Ed was 71, and died of natural causes.
Born in Absecon, N.J., Ed was a star high school athlete, and developed his love of fishing in waters off the coast of New Jersey. Ed taught at Holy Spirit High School, where he was also the football and baseball coach. He was a principal in Gilmanton, N.H., before being named principal of the Edgartown School from 1979 to 2005. Ed worked closely with town officials to construct a new, state-of-the-art elementary school, creating the best possible environment for children to thrive and succeed. Under Ed’s leadership, the Edgartown School was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. The following year Ed was awarded the National Distinguished Principal Award in recognition of his leadership.
Ed established traditions that continue today, including the Edgartown School Memorial Day March to the Sea to honor U.S. veterans, the seventh grade annual ski trip to Gunstock in New Hampshire, and the eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. In addition to his involvement locally, Ed helped shape education policy as a member of the board of directors of both the Massachusetts and National Elementary School Principals Associations. For more than a quarter of a century, Ed was professionally committed to making schools an excellent place for children to learn, teachers to teach, and parents to work as partners in the process of educating their children.
Ed’s love of teaching also took place on the water. A lifelong fisherman and most recently owner and captain of Wayfarer Charters, Ed was an educator for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, teaching the 100-ton master’s course from 2011 to 2018. As a charter boat captain, he spent countless hours on the water teaching young children and families the art and lessons of fishing, rarely coming back to port with an empty net.
Shortly after Ed moved to the Vineyard, he began volunteering for the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. In 1979, Ed was instrumental in saving the tournament, and as president, helped it grow to the event that it is today. In keeping with Ed’s commitment to children, he was the driving force in establishing the MVSBBD Scholarship Program for graduating high school seniors, working closely with renowned artist Ray Ellis to fund the scholarship program.
Ed was a loving and devoted husband to Maryanne and father to Joseph and Nicholas. Always wanting the best for his family, Ed showed them the world, taking numerous family vacations, most recently to Ireland and Scotland this spring. Ed loved spending time in the kitchen cooking his favorite Italian dishes — for a seemingly endless table of invited guests. He enjoyed time on the golf courses of the Island and at the helm of his beloved boat the Wayfarer. He loved a good movie, his faithful dog Bodhi, and his friends, too numerous to count.
Ed is survived by his loving spouse, Maryanne (Langley) and son Nicholas Jerome, and predeceased by his son Joseph. In addition, Ed is survived by his sister JoAnn Elco of Brigantine, N.J., Pete Elco of Brigantine, N.J., niece Lori Rebstock (Kyle) and Blaine Elco, and predeceased by Danny Elco. He was brother-in-law to Roy Langley (Kathy) of Charlotte, N.C., Brendan (Lisa Brown) and Merrill (Jamie) of Edgartown, and Justin Langley of Fairhaven, to Jackie Driscoll in Naples, Fla., and Betsy Stabler (Larry) in Chevy Chase, Md. He was the eternally loving uncle to Roy and Keenan Langley, Will, Charlotte and Peter Stabler, Katherine, Merrill, and Charlie Langley, Caroline and Jack Langley, and Shane, Ethan, and Julie Rebstock.
Funeral services were held in Edgartown. In remembrance, donations can be made to the Joseph Jerome Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 2232, Edgartown MA 02539, and the MV Derby Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 2101, Edgartown MA 02539.
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